Landover Travel Guide: Things to Do, Landmarks, Food, and Itineraries

Landover, Maryland sits in Prince George's County, just a short Metro ride or highway drive from the heart of Washington, D.C. With a population of around 24,558, this suburban community carries a distinctly local character — practical, grounded, and shaped more by everyday Prince George's County life than by tourist infrastructure. That's a large part of its appeal. Visitors who use Landover as a base find themselves well-positioned for sports events, regional parks, trails, and the full cultural weight of the nation's capital — without paying the premium that comes with staying inside the D.C. city limits.

This guide covers the practical side of visiting Landover: neighborhoods worth knowing, things to do, where to eat, how to get around, parking considerations, and tips for families and first-time visitors.

Why Visit Landover?

Landover's core advantage is position. Few suburban communities in the D.C. metro area offer this kind of access — to the capital, to Prince George's County's parks and trails, and to a community feel that hasn't been packaged for outside consumption. Metro service connects Landover directly to downtown D.C., making car-free sightseeing genuinely practical.

The area has a median age of 35.4, giving it an active, working-age energy. Across the broader region, there are well over 900 mapped attractions, museums, and historic sites, and a dense concentration of restaurants and cafes that spans an enormous range of cuisines. Whether you're building a single-day visit around a specific event or planning a multi-day regional stay, Landover is worth having on your radar.

If timing matters for your plans, the Best Time to Visit Landover page covers seasonal considerations before you commit to dates.

Neighborhoods and Areas Worth Knowing

Landover doesn't divide into sharply defined tourist districts, but a few reference points help first-time visitors get oriented.

Central Landover anchors everyday commerce in the community. Landover Road and the surrounding commercial corridors are home to grocery stores, local restaurants, ethnic markets, and neighborhood services. It's an unfussy area that reflects the community's working-class and middle-class character.

Landover Hills and the Cheverly Border run along Landover's eastern edge. These are residential, tree-lined streets that blend quietly into the surrounding community. Walkers and cyclists are common here outside of rush hours.

The Stadium Corridor — Northwest Stadium, which served for years as FedEx Field and is the home venue of the Washington Commanders NFL team, defines this part of Landover. On game days and during major events, the surrounding roads and lots become the center of activity. The rest of the time, this corridor is far quieter.

New Carrollton borders Landover to the north and functions as a significant regional transit hub. If you're arriving by Amtrak or connecting between transit systems, New Carrollton is the relevant node.

Things to Do in Landover

The volume of mapped attractions and sites in and around Landover is substantial. For a focused breakdown of specific activities, venues, and experiences, the Best Things To Do in Landover page goes into more detail. At a high level, here's how visitors commonly spend their time.

Sports and Live Events Northwest Stadium is one of the most prominent visitor draws in Landover. NFL game days bring large crowds to the area, and the stadium also hosts concerts and other large-scale events throughout the year. Check the official Washington Commanders site and the stadium's event calendar for current schedules and ticketing details.

Parks and Outdoor Spaces The region around Landover is well-connected to a wide network of green space. The National Park Service operates roughly 67 sites in and near the D.C. metro area — and several fall within easy reach of Landover. Greenbelt Park, located a short drive north in Greenbelt, MD, offers forested hiking trails and picnic areas popular with residents and day visitors alike. The broader Anacostia River trail network also runs through the region, providing accessible routes for cyclists and walkers.

Historical and Cultural Sites Prince George's County has a layered history, and a number of heritage sites and institutions are accessible from Landover. For a more detailed look at what's in and near the area, see the Top Landmarks in Landover page.

Day Trips into Washington, D.C. Given Landover's Metro access, many visitors treat a day in the capital as a natural extension of their stay. The Smithsonian museums, the National Mall, monuments, and memorials are all reachable without a car and without significant travel time. It's one of the stronger arguments for basing yourself in Landover rather than paying D.C. hotel rates.

Where to Eat in Landover

The restaurant and dining scene accessible from Landover is broad. Across the region, there are roughly 2,796 mapped restaurants and cafes, representing a wide range of cuisines — Caribbean, Latin American, Ethiopian, soul food, American comfort fare, and more. For a more structured look at dining in and around the area, the Where to Eat in Landover page covers specific neighborhoods and options in more detail.

Because Landover sits so close to Washington, D.C., the capital's well-documented dining landscape is also within easy reach. A few long-running establishments in the region are worth knowing about.

Busboys and Poets, open since 2005, operates multiple locations across the D.C. metro area. It's a widely recognized combination of restaurant, bookstore, and community gathering space, known for events, conversation, and an eclectic menu alongside its food and drink service.

Ben's Chili Bowl is one of the most widely documented restaurants in the D.C. region — a long-running institution on U Street that has served its signature chili dogs and half-smokes for decades. It appears consistently in regional food histories and is a standard reference for anyone interested in the capital's culinary past.

Old Ebbitt Grill, open since 1856, is among the most documented dining establishments in Washington. Located near the White House, it draws a mix of locals and visitors and is a recognized part of the city's dining history.

New Deal Cafe, open since 1994, is a community-oriented spot in Greenbelt, MD — just north of Landover — that has served as a documented neighborhood gathering place for three decades.

Pineapple & Pearls is a Washington, D.C. restaurant that has earned considerable attention and documentation for its approach to the dining experience. Check their official site for current format, availability, and reservation details, as these can change.

For any of these places — or anywhere else in the region — check official websites for current hours and policies before visiting.

Getting Around Landover

By Metro Landover is served by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The Landover station connects riders to downtown D.C. and to the broader regional Metro network. Check the WMATA website for current service information, schedule updates, and fares. Contactless tap-to-pay is accepted at fare gates throughout the system, which simplifies entry for visitors who prefer not to manage a separate card.

By Bus Local bus service supplements Metro connections within Prince George's County. Both the county's TheBus system and WMATA's Metrobus routes operate in the area. For current routes and schedules, check the respective operators' official sites.

By Car Landover sits near the Capital Beltway (I-495) and several other major regional highways, making it straightforward to reach by car from most directions. That said, peak-hour congestion on Beltway approaches and routes into D.C. can be significant. Check real-time traffic before departure and plan buffer time accordingly.

Parking in Landover

Everyday Parking For shopping, dining, and everyday errands, surface lots associated with commercial corridors around central Landover are generally accessible without much difficulty outside of peak hours.

Stadium Events On game days and during large events at Northwest Stadium, parking fills quickly and lot logistics can be complex. Check the official stadium or Washington Commanders website well ahead of any event for current lot options, shuttle arrangements, and policies. These details change from season to season.

Metro Parking The Landover Metro station has associated parking. Check WMATA's official site for current availability, permit requirements, and any applicable policies before relying on it for a day trip.

Visitor Tips

Landover is a working residential community, not a packaged tourist corridor. Bring the same ordinary urban awareness you'd apply in any suburban area.
If you're combining a Landover stay with D.C. sightseeing, organizing your schedule around Metro service hours and frequency will save you considerably more time than driving into the city.
The D.C. metro area experiences substantial humidity in summer months. Plan for heat and carry water if outdoor activity is on the agenda.
Spring and fall generally offer more comfortable conditions for time spent outside — worth factoring in if parks and trails matter to your trip.
The Landover 1-Day Itinerary and Landover 3-Day Itinerary pages offer ready-made scheduling frameworks if you'd rather work from an existing structure.

Family Tips

Landover is a reasonable base for families traveling with children, particularly when outdoor activities and sports events are part of the plan.

The parks and trail networks accessible from Landover give families room to move without significant cost. Greenbelt Park is typically less crowded than the major D.C. green spaces and is easier to reach by car.
A Metro ride into D.C. for a Smithsonian visit is a practical and economical family day. The Smithsonian's core museums are free, though check individual museum sites for any timed-entry or special exhibition requirements before you go.
A game day at Northwest Stadium works well for sports-oriented families, but requires advance planning for tickets, parking, and timing — logistics are considerably easier when arranged well ahead.
Younger children tend to fare better on structured transit-and-walking days than on long drives through Beltway congestion. If you're traveling with toddlers or young kids, Metro-centric days often run smoother.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Landover a practical base for visiting Washington, D.C.? Yes. Metro access from the Landover station provides a direct route into the city, and lodging in suburban Prince George's County is often more affordable than comparable options inside the District. For budget-conscious travelers who plan to spend significant time in D.C., it's worth considering.

What is Landover most associated with for visitors? Northwest Stadium — the home of the Washington Commanders — is the most widely recognized draw. Its long tenure under the FedEx Field name made Landover a familiar reference point for NFL fans across the country.

How long does it take to reach downtown D.C. from Landover by Metro? Travel times vary by destination within the city. Check the WMATA trip planner for current routing and estimated travel times based on your specific origin and destination.

Are there hotels in Landover? Lodging options exist in and around Landover, including properties along major commercial corridors. Standard hotel booking platforms with a proximity filter to the Landover Metro station will give you the most current picture of what's available and at what price point.

What should I know about attending an event at Northwest Stadium? Parking fills quickly on event days, and traffic on surrounding roads can back up significantly. Check the official stadium site for current lot information, shuttle options, and entry logistics well in advance of your event.

For additional questions about visiting the area, the Landover FAQ page covers a broader range of topics.

Landover doesn't announce itself the way the monuments and museums of Washington, D.C. do — and that's not a shortcoming. For visitors who value practical transit access, local character, and proximity to one of the most historically significant cities in the country, it offers a genuine alternative to the more heavily promoted options in the region. Whether you're here for a single afternoon or an extended stay, the area around Landover has enough to make the trip worth planning.